Loose furniture is making a comeback. Why? Well, with the rise in raw material and labour costs, opting for built-in cabinetry throughout the house can be a financially ruinous decision.
Another push factor happens to be “in” trends that do not require a lot of carpentry. These show homeowners that your space can be visually stunning so long as your loose furniture items are properly selected.
Style aside, it can actually quite literally pay in the long term to shop smart. The common saying of “You get what you pay for” holds true for furniture. For the most part anyways.
How do Manufacturers Save Cost?
These manufacturers understand their target market. Their interest isn’t in long-lasting furniture – all these homeowners really care about is the initial purchase price. Even if it means having to replace it frequently.
One way this can be achieved is by using lower cost materials. Unlike in custom carpentry and in higher-end furniture, where durable plywood and solid wood materials are used in the fabrication process, cheaper furniture tends to be built out of lower grade wood derivatives.
A Look at These Materials
It isn’t uncommon to see compressed particle board and MDF being used for lower cost furniture. Raw material costs are lower, and for good reason too. Unlike plywood and solid wood, particle board and MDF are, in essence anyways, made out of wood waste materials.
For instance, particle board is made up of tiny wooden chips compressed into large slabs with a bonding agent and extruded. Try as you might, but you’ll never be able to fully fill the slab, so you’d find voids within the materials.
MDF is made out of wood fibres, again combined with a bonding agent under pressure. It is more structurally stable in general use than particle board, owing to the homogenous nature of its construction.
But moisture is the enemy of both materials. The size and randomness of the individual chips mean particle boards have no significant tensile strength. Exposed chips will soak up fluids very quickly, which deforms the board itself. Additional pressure then further warps the slab, ruining your furniture and creating damage to the surface.
The wood fibres in MDF also suffer from a similar issue. The increased absorbancy means MDF in prolonged moisture exposure will form small bubbles, which too are weak points in the slab.
Lower-Grade Finishes
Also, laminate, veneers and varnish aren’t finishes typically applied to lower-tier items. There’s too much cost involved in the former duo, whereas there really isn’t a desirable pattern for fabricators to use varnish on. The lower cost method of painting and applying melamine looks initially acceptable, but their reduced durability certainly hampers long-term visual longevity.
Some Food for Thought
As these lower-end items tend to have shorter lifespans than products higher up the food chain, it may make more financial sense to purchase a costlier item up front. Greater material integrity and superior workmanship means more interior style points and increased resistance to the stresses of daily wear and tear.
That isn’t to say that all low cost furniture items are bad. Even items made out of MDF and particle board can be long lasting too – you just need to extra take care of it. Clean any spillage up as soon as you can, and avoid putting excessive weight on the slabs.
And being a wise shopper in your home makeover goes far beyond just seeking out furniture bargains. It starts from finding an Interior Designer that properly works with your vision. Do hit up our friends at RE.Design and at Ngieng Spatial Design if you’d like to speak to an industry insider. Their expertise can be helpful for your next home renovation project!
Cover Photo: Pixabay
You May Be Interested In: Secrets to Make Your Renovation Last Longer
